Black Snake

[DaniMomma]

Any suggestions on how to keep a snake out of the coop? There's a big black snake that keeps getting in the coop and eating our eggs. It also ate one of the golf balls I left in the nesting boxes to encourage the girls to use them and I was hoping that would kill it, but it was back tonight (or maybe that did kill it and this was another one). I really would rather not actively kill it because we have so many mice and rats on our property.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

How and when is it getting into the coop?

 

[DaniMomma]

How and when is it getting into the coop?

I'm not sure. Once i found one there in the morning when I went to let the girls out and it slithered out when I opened the door. I just found one there this evening when I was putting the girls up and chased it out. And one day we didn't get any eggs and one of the golf balls was missing, but I didn't actually see one that time.

 

[centrarchid]

Is it eating all or just some of the eggs?

 

[DaniMomma]

Is it eating all or just some of the eggs?

We're still getting eggs, but we check the coop 4-5 times a day to make sure we don't leave them too long. We did have one day where we didn't get any, which I'm assuming is because a snake ate all of them because that was the day our golf ball was gone, too.

 

[centrarchid]

Do you have access to a game camera?

When I have a snake causing troubles, it is not a daily event and it can eat only so many. Keep mind open to more than one egg eater. Possibly multiple snakes, possibly something else coming in as well, and possibly even a chicken.

 

[dunnmom]

You might try the minnow trap method.
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/catch-snakes-using-minnow-trap/

Although, you will have to figure out what to do with them. People say if you relocate them, and it's not far enough away, they will likely return.

 

[centrarchid]

You might try the minnow trap method.
http://www.wideopenspaces.com/catch-snakes-using-minnow-trap/

Although, you will have to figure out what to do with them. People say if you relocate them, and it's not far enough away, they will likely return.

I say do it. If you move snake, then move it a couple miles. See if someone you know that far out is OK with additional snake. Then reset trap.

 

[auroaSfarm]

I chopped a snakes head off with a shovel and left the body near the coop so the snakes no not to come near, demented or possibly a good idea idk but they are hella annoying. And scary!

 

[FlyWheel]

Are your chickens free range or penned? In either case make sure that when they are locked up that there are no openings larger than 1/2" square. Any snake small enough to get through that is going to find itself prey instead of predator